INCLUSION

In this Section

Pastoral Care

We understand that every pupil is different. They learn in different ways and have different interests and areas of strength. Individual pupils also have different needs at different times. Our pastoral care strategy is geared to helping each pupil discover where their particular talents lie and offering tailored support when they need it.

We have a highly personalised approach to meeting the academic, physical and emotional needs of every pupil. We use information and data from our own assessments, from national tests and from our meetings with pupils and their parents to make sure we know our pupils well and understand their individual needs.

A combination of outstanding learning and teaching, wide-ranging enrichment activities, regular opportunities for emotional development and an extensive programme of challenge and support enables us to maximise every pupil’s chance of success.

Year Team System

The Year Team is responsible for ensuring the well-being of pupils. The team is made up of Form Tutors for each year group, a dedicated Head of Year and the Head of Sixth Form.

Every pupil is assigned to a registration group led by a Form Tutor. Registration groups are structured in year groups, so pupils always register with peers of a similar age. There is a form period each Monday and Friday and Form Tutors should, in most instances, be parents’ first point of contact for any pastoral problems.

Form Tutors make sure parents are regularly updated on any issues that are preventing their son or daughter from learning. They take particular care during the transition from secondary school to the sixth form. Form Tutors run a detailed tutorial programme that is designed to help pupils to focus on their learning and university preparation.

Extra Support

For pupils with additional needs, those going through some sort of distress (e.g. after a bereavement) or those where there are attendance or behaviour issues, the academy provides intensive support to make sure they get the help and support they need to succeed in their learning.

We also have a multi-agency team that supports the academy. Pupils have access to an academy nurse, educational psychologist, social worker and other professionals.

Rewards and Sanctions

Every pupil is special and the sixth form regularly identifies, rewards and celebrates its pupils’ successes. These can be in any aspect of academy life and include rewards for regular attendance, outstanding academic achievement, making a good contribution to the local community or an act of kindness.

Rewards can take many forms, ranging from simply saying “well done” to recognition at celebration assemblies or special events such as the annual presentation evening.

If standards at the academy are to be maintained, it is equally important to have a clear, consistent sanctions system. This is rigorously enforced by an explicit system of detention and report cards.

Partnership with Parents

Our partnership approach to working with parents plays a big part in our success.

Our commitment to pastoral care and to ensuring that every pupil gets personal attention means that parents can be assured that their child will flourish in our safe and secure learning environment.

All parents and guardians are asked to sign a Home-School Agreement, which clearly states our commitment to their child, as well as what we expect in return, in terms of attendance and behaviour.

All parents and guardians are regularly kept up to date with their child’s academic and personal progress, through both our half-termly report cards and performance review meetings.

This process ensures parents know where their child is up to, what they have achieved and any areas that need further attention. It’s also an opportunity for parents to give feedback to us and tell us what they’d like to see.